The Bridge On The River Kwai
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Review
"A fine ironic novel, that is yet another French tribute to British eccentricity."
"-- Observer"
"M. Boulle has construced his book most skilfully -- like a first-rate film director."
"-- Daily Telegraph
""Stirring and imaginative."
""-- "New Statesman
"
"-- Observer"
"M. Boulle has construced his book most skilfully -- like a first-rate film director."
"-- Daily Telegraph
""Stirring and imaginative."
""-- "New Statesman
"
New Statesman
‘Unforgettable’
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
Pierre Boulle - The Bridge on the River Kwai - "Suspense and sabotage behind the Jap lines"
14 Dec 2011
Format:Paperback
"The Bridge on the River Kwai tells most excitingly of sabotage behind the Japanese lines. It is also a magnificen satirical portrait of a British regular officer. In a prison camp deep in Siam, Colonel Nicholson, an officer and a gentleman of the old school, and his men are ordered by the Japanese to build a bridge. The Colonel refuses. Through weeks of torture and solitary confinement, he persists in upholding the military code that officers cannot be made to work with Other Ranks, until at last the Japanese give way. At once the Colonel is fire with a determination to show these orientals how superior the British are. He drives his men on until a magnificent new bridge stands for the first train from Saigon to Rangoon to pass it. It is the Colonel's hour.
Meanwhile in Calcutta the Special Branch has been active. Three men have been parachuted into Siam. They watch the bridge beign built and make their plans. The charges of dynamite are laid. As the train approaches, the youngest of the three is ready to press the button. But to reveal the climax would be unfair to the reader and to the author's superb mastery of suspense."
The short novel, largely famous as a result of the film of the same name, is about British prisoners of war and special forces in the Far East during the Second World War. The author was able to draw on his experiences serving alongside the British, as part of the Free French, on secret missions in Indo-china.
Meanwhile in Calcutta the Special Branch has been active. Three men have been parachuted into Siam. They watch the bridge beign built and make their plans. The charges of dynamite are laid. As the train approaches, the youngest of the three is ready to press the button. But to reveal the climax would be unfair to the reader and to the author's superb mastery of suspense."
The short novel, largely famous as a result of the film of the same name, is about British prisoners of war and special forces in the Far East during the Second World War. The author was able to draw on his experiences serving alongside the British, as part of the Free French, on secret missions in Indo-china.
Format:Paperback
Personally, I am not a fan of war fiction so when I went out and purchased to book I was surprised at how accessible it was in terms of the semantics used.
I am huge fan of Pierre Boulle's works so decided to take a risk in buying this novel. Despite starting off slow, I was soon captured by the interesting story, setting, characters and relationships the Bridge Over The River Kwai has and how the book created several possible endings when reading though the novel. Because of this, I found it impossible to put the book down. The ending was very unexpected and I loved it!
The only reason I give this book a four star is because although it's a great story, the genre wasn't too my taste. Oh, and Vintage Classics gave the book the name used in the film.
I am huge fan of Pierre Boulle's works so decided to take a risk in buying this novel. Despite starting off slow, I was soon captured by the interesting story, setting, characters and relationships the Bridge Over The River Kwai has and how the book created several possible endings when reading though the novel. Because of this, I found it impossible to put the book down. The ending was very unexpected and I loved it!
The only reason I give this book a four star is because although it's a great story, the genre wasn't too my taste. Oh, and Vintage Classics gave the book the name used in the film.
2 of 4 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Well, I say it's overrated but it's not rated here at all as this is the first review!
The best thing you could really say for this book is that it's short. None of the characters have real depth and the book is a cheap adventure tale more than anything else. In many ways it feels like an idea for a film and it's no surprise that the famous film is a lot more successful. We are told that the book is a satire, along the lines of Catch 22 I suppose but more maybe believable. Although it's of course based around real events and places, the characters are fictional and so is the operation. This is unfortunate as it probably gives a quite incorrect impression of what was by all accounts an appalling situation.
If you want to hear something really funny on this subject the get hold of 'Bridge on the River Wye' with Michael Bentine et al...
The best thing you could really say for this book is that it's short. None of the characters have real depth and the book is a cheap adventure tale more than anything else. In many ways it feels like an idea for a film and it's no surprise that the famous film is a lot more successful. We are told that the book is a satire, along the lines of Catch 22 I suppose but more maybe believable. Although it's of course based around real events and places, the characters are fictional and so is the operation. This is unfortunate as it probably gives a quite incorrect impression of what was by all accounts an appalling situation.
If you want to hear something really funny on this subject the get hold of 'Bridge on the River Wye' with Michael Bentine et al...
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